Macintosh 512K Software

[Mechcozmo]

I guess this falls under Discussion and Help as opposed to the archaic software forum... read on to find out why...

I recently got a 512K. It boots to the flashin' floppy screen. I want to get it running System 1.1. I downloaded the disk image from this linkety. After realizing that disk image KPs your Mac, I enlisted a friend to help me. We got it to HFS format. It all seems intact. Now, the issue.

How do you convert it to MFS format? System 1 (and 2 for that matter) will only read MFS. (What the bloody hell is this MFS your talking about?)

I tried getting System 7 (the NAD) to fit on a 400k floppy. The System alone is 1,000k. Oops. System 6+Finder add up to 426k (ish). But over 400k.

If I can get a version of the System running on that Mac, then I can use other floppies with Disk Copy, etc, to make a MFS disk and then get a System 1.1 disk made. However, I have yet to find another way around this issue aside from the "use one archaic system to make another archaic system work" method.

If any of you have a System 2 or 3 or 4 boot floppy that would be nice... Apple is rather odd in the fact that give out System Software for Macs with 1MB and up. System 7.5.5 is the max you can get. But you can't get anything for less than 1 MB of RAM.

 

[MisterMe]

I guess this falls under Discussion and Help as opposed to the archaic software forum... read on to find out why...

I recently got a 512K. It boots to the flashin' floppy screen. I want to get it running System 1.1. I downloaded the disk image from this linkety. After realizing that disk image KPs your Mac, I enlisted a friend to help me. We got it to HFS format. It all seems intact. Now, the issue.

How do you convert it to MFS format? System 1 (and 2 for that matter) will only read MFS. (What the bloody hell is this MFS your talking about?)

MFS was the original Macintosh File System. It was a flat file system. It was replaced by the Hierarchal File System (HFS). In HFS, folders are really directories. In MFS, folders were just groups of files.

I tried getting System 7 (the NAD) to fit on a 400k floppy. The System alone is 1,000k. Oops. System 6+Finder add up to 426k (ish). But over 400k.

If I can get a version of the System running on that Mac, then I can use other floppies with Disk Copy, etc, to make a MFS disk and then get a System 1.1 disk made. However, I have yet to find another way around this issue aside from the "use one archaic system to make another archaic system work" method.

You seem hell-bent on trying to change the past. Even System 6 shipped on 800k floppies. Unless you want to swap-out your 400k drives for 800k drives, then you will have to satisfy yourself with the engineering brilliance that allowed a complete GUI-based OS to run on a single 400k floppy. You are going to have to use an OS that actually fits on your media.

If any of you have a System 2 or 3 or 4 boot floppy that would be nice... Apple is rather odd in the fact that give out System Software for Macs with 1MB and up. System 7.5.5 is the max you can get. But you can't get anything for less than 1 MB of RAM.

Your computer is from a different era. Prior to System 7, Macintosh operating systems were not retail products as we understand them today. Most commercial applications shipped with a copy of the OS on each distribution floppy.

 

[Mechcozmo]

MFS was the original Macintosh File System. It was a flat file system. It was replaced by the Hierarchal File System (HFS). In HFS, folders are really directories. In MFS, folders were just groups of files.

I know that... the link was in case someone didn't know. But thanks anyway. Thats the major issue that I'm having-- writing support was removed as of System 7.6 ish and all support was removed as of OS 8.1

You seem hell-bent on trying to change the past. Even System 6 shipped on 800k floppies. Unless you want to swap-out your 400k drives for 800k drives, then you will have to satisfy yourself with the engineering brilliance that allowed a complete GUI-based OS to run on a single 400k floppy. You are going to have to use an OS that actually fits on your media.

System 6 ALMOST fits....
And System 1 does fit. But for the formatting issue.

Your computer is from a different era. Prior to System 7, Macintosh operating systems were not retail products as we understand them today. Most commercial applications shipped with a copy of the OS on each distribution floppy.

Didn't know that. That's pretty interesting. Makes a bit of sense, I suppose, so that the OS can run while another program (taking up the floppy) is in the drive...

So I guess I need to find a place to get a floppy disk with one of those Systems on it? Apple has all the software, but none of the Systems.

 

[Mechcozmo]

Does anyone have a floppy they can make a disk image of and then email or FTP to me? Or even any idea on where to get this software?

Apple theoretically allows them to be free.... but they don't offer downloads from their website.

 

[MisterMe]

Does anyone have a floppy they can make a disk image of and then email or FTP to me? Or even any idea on where to get this software?

Apple theoretically allows them to be free.... but they don't offer downloads from their website.

You can find a link toward the bottom of this web site.

 

[velocityg4]

This number may be outdated but call 1-800-538-9696 to find a local Apple User Group. These groups are permitted to give disks to people whom may own an antique Apple computer . More info can be found for applications for system 1 at www.mac512.com

 

[5300cs]

maybe this'll help?

 

[Mechcozmo]

maybe this'll help?

Great! That solved the "where to get software" issue... but the 720 (800) disks that I have I can't format as 400k disks.

A 400K disk is the same as a 800K disk, just the 800K disk is double-sided. The 512K has a 400K drive... the 512Ke has a 800K drive. ~sigh~

In any case, System 4 and System 3 will fit but I can't get the disks formatted correctly....